


I Was Doing my Job

by postlux



Category: Designated Survivor (TV)
Genre: Aaron Shore/Emily Rhodes - Freeform, Aaron/Emily, DS, Designated Survivor - Freeform, Emily Rhodes/Aaron Shore - Freeform, Emily/Aaron, F/M, emron
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-10
Updated: 2017-12-10
Packaged: 2019-02-12 20:53:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12968202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/postlux/pseuds/postlux
Summary: S1 E10 rewrite, where Emily has to investigate Aaron and save their budding relationship.





	I Was Doing my Job

**Author's Note:**

> S1 E10, 'The Oath,' fixed it.

_3.55pm_

Emily stared at Aaron’s name on the paper in front of her. There was no way, there was absolutely no way that Aaron Shore had anything to do with the Capitol bombing. What would a third deputy gain from that? Well, besides being Chief of Staff. Things just weren’t adding up, I mean, she couldn’t possibly have feelings for someone who was capable of mass murder.

 

A quick knock on the door knocked her out of her reverie. Emily glanced up to find Aaron. She quickly placed her hand over the list. The last thing that was needed right now was Aaron seeing his name there.

 

“Hey, where were you? I thought you were going to sit in on the legislation meeting with me?” Aaron asked her.

 

“Right, sorry,” She answered, giving her forehead a quick rub, “I got caught up.”

 

Aaron gave her a concerned look but pressed on despite his growing doubts, “No worries. Hey, eight forty-five? I’ll pick you up here?”

 

Emily paused, not wanting to turn him down but knowing she had no other choice. She had to investigate this, she had to prove that he was innocent.

 

“You know, I’m actually kind of swamped here.”

 

Aaron hesitated, his doubts only growing, “Okay,” he said, getting ready to head out, “Hey, you don’t regret last night do you?” He had to know.

 

She smiled a bit, “No, I don’t. I just can’t tonight.”

 

‘Believe me Aaron,’ was the only plea on her mind. Just because she had to investigate him tonight doesn’t mean that she didn’t want to date him. In fact, all she had thought about since he asked her earlier was tonight. She wanted to spend time with him, just the two of them. Here they were always surrounded by everyone, there was no such thing as a moment of peace in the White House.

 

Aaron’s lips twitched as if he wanted to smile. He still had his doubts but for now Emily’s word was good enough, “Alright,” He muttered, walking out.

 

As soon as Aaron was out the door Emily put her head in her hands and released a breath she didn’t even know she had been holding. God, she wanted him.

 

 

_6.06pm_

It had been three hours and Emily hadn’t gotten anywhere with this investigation. She couldn’t figure out a way to prove Aaron’s innocence and he was the first person she was determined to cross off that list.

 

She had to ask him. There simply wasn’t any other way. She had thought about every possible scenario from hacking his computer to having him followed. Each more ridiculous than the next. The only, simple, option was to flat out ask him.

 

Of course, if she did this, she risked losing him. Who would want to date someone who thought they committed a terrorist attack? Would he want her after this? She wasn’t sure, but what she was sure of is that the only way to cross his name off this list, to prove his innocence, was to be up front.

 

Emily stood up and grabbed the back of the chair. She needed a moment to gather herself. If she didn’t pull herself together she was never going to make it through this. Taking a deep breath, she fixed her dress and headed out the door.

  
Walking down the hall she tried to move her feet as fast as was ethically appropriate. The last thing she wanted right now was to be stopped by someone. Thankfully her determined walk kept anyone anyway.

 

Without a second thought Emily quickly knocked on the door. She already began turning the knob before Aaron called out. She closed the door behind her and headed across his office, placing herself directly in front of his desk, ignoring the surprised look on his face.

 

“Em, what can I help with? I didn’t miss our meeting, right?” He wondered, double checking the time on his watch.

 

“No. I have to ask you something and I need you to be completely honest with me.” She said, trying to remove any emotion from her features.

 

Aaron gave her an incredulous look, “Okay? “

“Did you view file 12-80C, the blueprint to the bombing of the capitol?”

 

Aaron’s look went front incredulous, to confusion, to surprise, “There was a blueprint?”

 

With that question, all the air rushed from Emily’s lungs. He was innocent. She knew he had to be. If he didn’t know about the blueprint then he didn’t access the file.

 

“Emily, what’s going on? There was a blueprint of the bombing?”

 

“Today Kirkman called me into his office. He showed me a file that revealed the plans to bomb the capitol. He then handed me a list of every single person who had access to that blueprint – it was a small list Aaron, and your name was on it.”

 

Aaron’s eyes almost bulged out of his head, there was no way he viewed that file. Sure, he might have possibly had access to it at one point. As a deputy, he often had access to highly classified files, but he definitely didn’t see that one. But, if Emily was asking, he was a suspect.

 

“And you think I was in on it?” He asked, the betrayal he felt written all over him.

 

“No! Aaron, that’s why I asked you. I knew you were innocent, I just had to prove it so I could cross your name off.”

 

This is what she had been afraid of, him thinking she thought that he was guilty.

 

“Right. Well glad I could help.” He muttered, frustrated. He opened up a file and began his paperwork, trying to get Emily out of his office.

 

Aaron was mad. Even if she didn’t think he did it the fact that his name was even on that list to begin with made him feel betrayed. He couldn’t believe that Kirkman or Emily would even factor him into this equation. All he has done since becoming Chief of Staff was work towards rebuilding the country and helping the President succeed. He felt sick. What more was he going to have to do to do to prove himself?

 

Emily swallowed the lump in her throat. That was it. A barley started relationship was over. Aaron didn’t have to say the words; his body language was doing it for him. She blinked back the tears that were forming, wanting to get out of there before he saw.

 

“Right. Sorry. Thanks for your time.”

 

As Emily hustled out of his office she slammed her office door shut. Leaning against the wood she let the tears roll down her cheeks. She couldn’t accept that as the end of their relationship. It hadn’t even started yet! Maybe if she just gave him time… and time for her to make a plan.

 

 

_10.02pm_

This was crazy. What was she doing? What if it didn’t even work?! No. She had to breathe. If she let herself get worked up she would chicken out. Pressing play on her IPhone she heard Elvis’ voice ring out into the chilly night air. Taking a gulp of air into her lungs she pressed the doorbell and waited for the inventible.

 

The door cracked open and Emily couldn’t stop staring. She had yet to see Aaron Shore in anything but a suit and him in sweatpants and an old college t-shirt was making her heart race. It was also putting many thoughts in her head that weren’t appropriate, let alone weren’t helping calm her heartbeat.

 

She gripped the bottle of whiskey, Aaron’s favorite, a little tighter as she let out a soft, “Hi.”

 

Aaron’s eyes skimmed her over, taking in form as well as the music playing and the alcohol.

 

“Hi… what are you doing here?”

 

Her eyes skimmed the ground. Right now, would be a great moment for her courage to appear, “Aaron, I’m sorry. I never believed it was you. At all. But you have to understand, I was doing my job. The President asked me to look into every single name on that list. I _had_ to clear you, I had to prove you were innocent. I thought of every single way to do that and the simplest way was to just ask you. I was so desperate.”

 

Aaron watched the breath escape her lips into the night air. He slightly opened the door and waited for her to walk in. His anger from earlier had easily faded, especially now after hearing her apology.

 

“I know. And I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gotten as upset as I was earlier. I’ve been having to prove myself to the President ever since I leaked the Al Sakar video and I didn’t want him to have a reason not to trust me. He asked you to look into the list, you were just doing your job.”

 

Emily took off her coat and placed it on the back of his couch. Hoping not to be too forward but this was her attempt at a do over. This was her attempt at their date. She didn’t want to waste another second.

 

Holding her phone up she gave it a little shake, “Well, this may not be an impersonator but the real deal can’t hurt _and_ I just so happen to have something to drink. Any chance we could have a do-over?”

 

Aaron smirked, grabbing her waist and pulling her closer, “No. Not a do-over, this is better than what we had planned earlier.”

 

Emily smiled, the weight of earlier completely melting off her shoulders. They were going to be fine.

 

“Deal,” she whispered, reaching up and placing her lips against his.


End file.
